Secrets Revealed
by Hazeru1001
Summary: When one of the gang disappears, the search to find him is on. As the search proceeds, more and more secrets come out into the open, including one or two dark secrets that could lead to disaster ...
1. Chapter 1

Hazeru - In this story, we'll see the secrets of the GX cast revealed, as well as their feelings. ;)

Hera - Hope you enjoy this beginning.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

Chapter 1

Eight days – that was how long it had been already. Once, not so very long ago, this would have been no cause for alarm; it would simply have meant that their friend was off doing his own thing and neglecting to tell anybody, which wasn't exactly unheard of. Not so long ago, nobody would have been searching desperately for him; nobody would have been worried and losing sleep. There was a point in time when Zane Truesdale disappearing unexplainably had not been a cause for panic, not because nobody cared about him but more because they knew that he could take of himself and would return, sooner or later, of his own free will.

However, that was all in the past. This was the present, and his over-a-week-long absence had not only been noticed, it had caused worry amongst those who knew him, particularly when they had finished calling all his old haunts that they could think of and hearing that nobody had seen him.

Nine days ago, when Syrus Truesdale had gone to visit his brother to discuss his evolving deck, he had found Zane's home empty. At first he had been mildly irritated – annoyed that his brother had forgotten their meeting - but not worried; some warning that he was going out might have been nice but it didn't worry Syrus. Even though his brother's heart was currently rather unstable, he could still get about well enough so long as he didn't travel long distance. Syrus imagined that he must have gone to the supermarket or for a walk, as he did.

However, when Syrus had called him later, there had been no answer. Thinking his brother must have gone to bed early, he tried not to panic, but when he tried to call again the next day and again received no answer, Syrus began to worry about his brother – especially once he decided to let himself into Zane's house and found the door unlocked along with various overturned objects strewn about the usually tidy room.

That morning was eight days ago and still nobody had heard so much as a word from Zane. Syrus had alerted everyone he could think of and asked them to ask around or look for his brother, but so far nobody had found anything.

It made no sense to anyone. It wasn't like Zane, the way he now was, to just pick up and leave for over a week without an explanation; he wasn't even answering his phone. And although it had been his brother's initial suspicion, there had been no calls demanding ransom or duels, and so this did not seem like a kidnapping. It was, more accurately named, an unexplainable disappearance.

From this knowledge sprung the first major gathering they had had since their graduation from Duel Academy almost eighteen months ago, in Chazz's extended penthouse. Although everyone had more or less kept in touch via phone calls, the internet and the occasional meeting, there had yet to be a large gathering with everyone present.

Well. Everyone but Zane Truesdale.

Inside the large room, Syrus looked around at his friends, marvelled by the way that they all appeared the same as they had done in Duel Academy, save for the ordinary changes such as clothing preferences or hair styles. And just about everyone had come: Chazz, Alexis, Hasselberry, Atticus, Jesse, Aster and Jim. The only two missing were Axel, who had called to say that he had a prior engagement in a mission but that he would tell them if he heard anything, and Jaden, who was actually coming but, naturally, was running late.

It was amazing just how many people were eager to find Zane; some of the people whom Syrus had asked to come he genuinely did not expect to appear, and yet they had done so. He hadn't been sure Jim would have been able to make it all the way back from Australia, but he was here, and even Aster had taken time off his busy pro duellist schedule to be there – how exactly Syrus was not even sure, but he wasn't complaining; any help was better than none.

There was a general flow of conversation – old friends catching up on one another's lives – in amongst the worriment for their missing friend. Syrus, however, did not partake in any conversations. He was too busy thinking about what his old friend Jaden had said when he had phoned him two days ago.

Jaden had disclosed to him that he had asked Yubel and Winged Kuriboh to scout around in as broad a range as possible to try and find Zane, or at least some clues as to his whereabouts, but their search had been fruitless; nobody seemed to have heard anything. And if even the spirits were finding nothing, things were not well at all.

It was funny; how nobody would have bothered worrying only a couple of years ago. And now, everyone was here, willing to help.

The group here truly did consist of just about everyone, too, because it was only moments later that Jaden Yuki stepped through the door, complete with a red jacket similar to the old Slifer Red design, and instantly asking if anyone had heard anything.

Syrus asked if everyone would sit down and listen, and they did so – he couldn't tell them anything they didn't already know, but Zane was his brother, and for the time being, he was going to take charge of the situation. After all, sooner or later his command would disappear and be handed over – possibly involuntarily – to someone else in the group.

Syrus was happy enough for that to happen, so long as it happened later. For now, he would recoup the details they already had, and then ask for ideas as to how to proceed.

Because they were going to find Zane, of that Syrus was certain. He himself would not rest until Zane was back, and the others, his friends, wouldn't let him go alone, wherever he was going. Which could, really, be anywhere; Syrus was willing to travel to the centre of the earth if he had to.

He had lost his brother before – he would not lose him again.

Hazeru - So what's happened to Zane? A simple kidnapping or something far more sinister?

Hera - I think we all know the answer to that. PLease R&R.


	2. Chapter 2

Hazeru - And so the search for Zane begins.

Hera - Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

Chapter 2

There had been something altogether unsettling about this rundown place since the minute they walked in the door, and as the fourth fight of the night broke out, they understood why. What nobody understood was how on earth a duellist like Zane ever managed to end up in a cheap bar in the back of beyond that seemed to exist for the sole purpose of giving aggressive duellists a place to get drunk and fight, both with their duel disks and their fists.

After a long discussion, they had decided to at least try to find some leads on Zane's whereabouts by going to the one place they knew he had visited in his darkest times: the loathed world of underground duelling, a last resort for any respectable duellist. The problem with that idea was this – none of them were sure of where exactly Zane had discovered underground duelling, for there were several known underground haunts and likely far many more secret ones besides.

It was possible, in fact, that Zane had never been in this particular underground bar, although it seemed gross and violent enough; there was a rather filthy bar counter in one corner and a huge metal cage in the centre of the room which was surrounded by creaky chairs, but the room was otherwise bare. It was also mostly void of people. There were three or four duellists – recognisable by the duel disk on their arms – a handful of spectators and another few characters who were well dressed and sinister.

And in the midst of all this sat two rather uncomfortable spies, out gathering information. It took no genius to realise that if all of the group intruded into one of these underground places it would seem suspicious, to say the least, and so they had opted for a small party – consisting of only two people, in the end – to go and look around. As it happened, the two who now sat in two chairs at the back, keeping entirely to themselves and not even ordering a drink, were Chazz Princeton and Atticus Rhodes.

With his black clothes and almost permanent frown, Chazz did not seem so out of place, even though those who knew him – whether as the youngest Princeton son or as a well known duellist was unclear – cast him odd glances, like they were wondering how on earth someone of his calibre could ever wind up in such a place.

The two wondered if they had thought the same of Zane Truesdale, if he had ever been here at all.

However, even though Chazz seemed to fit into the background scenery, such as it was, reasonably well, Atticus appeared entirely out of place, even though his usual happy grin was gone, replaced by a concerned and wary frown. But he had insisted on coming, considering that Zane was his best friend, and he didn't care how these people looked at him anyway.

After a short period of time, the current fight become more and more vicious until the two decided that they should settle it in the duelling cage – that sounded like the better option until one remembered that the two duellists would be wearing electrodes. The last – very short – duel they had witnessed had ended abruptly when, after being beaten in two turns, the challenger collapsed to the ground, shaking with the effects of the current running through his body in what could be described only as a deadly fashion.

It became clear to both Chazz and Atticus that neither one of the duellists was allowed to leave the cage until the duel was over, and inside Atticus was secretly sickened; how could Zane have ever allowed people to stare at him like the people in this place stared at the two who were now putting on their electrodes? As a spectator, he felt completely wrong; nobody in their right mind should be paying – and yes, they had had to pay for the privilege of watching this monstrosity – to watch such disgusting things. Duellists who dropped so low should be helped, not made into this sort of spectacle. The audience seemed to care less about the duel than the pain the duellist endured, even.

/

Halfway through the cage-duel, Atticus decided that they were getting nowhere from watching such spectacles and left Chazz where he was in favour of going to speak to the bartender. The brunette leaned cautiously against the bar counter and took in the appearance of the man behind it – tall, thuggish, dark haired, in dire need of a shave, with an eye patch and a mean expression. In short, he was threatening at first glance, but Atticus would not be put off by just this.

Keeping in character – after all, they had to pretend to be just like these people so as not to seem suspicious – Atticus fixed the man with a glare and, with a harsh tone, ordered a strong whiskey. His order was met with only a nod and the alcohol poured into an almost clean glass and shoved towards him; obviously this was half the attraction for young duellists – the man wasn't going to ask for identification and seemed all too willing to serve underage people alcohol. Atticus was of the legal age, but in a respectable tavern or restaurant, he was young enough that people generally asked him politely for identification anyway.

Once he had tossed a few coins onto the counter, he picked up the glass and brought it to his lips, pretending to take a testing sip even though his lips were pressed firmly together to stop it from entering his mouth. After this pretence, he casually leaned closer to the man and asked him who else came in here.

"What's it to you, kid?"

_If I'm a kid, why did you serve me whiskey?_ Atticus thought in annoyance, but he voiced out loud only: "I'm just asking."

"Anyone who wants to duel like they do" was the man's answer.

Atticus followed the man's glance to the cage, where a scream of agony was torn from the throat of one duellist who had just lost two thousand life points. Electric red static erupted around him, and Atticus could only wonder how painful it must be. On second thoughts, he didn't even want to know.

"You get any of the pros in here?" Atticus enquired, pretending to sip the whiskey once again.

"The pros don't come here" the man said.

"Why not?"

"They ain't wanted."

Atticus frowned. Zane had been on the pro circuit when he had first gone into underground duelling, but he had been on his way out and was more or less a laughing stock; he had hardly been the type of duellist that the man was imagining Atticus was meaning.

"What about the ones that don't do so well? I thought some of the pros that got their second win got it by going into the underground?" Atticus persisted.

By the narrowing of the man's eyes, Atticus guessed correctly that he had gone too far. That was too personal and too specific, and now the man was suspecting that he was actually after information rather than simply making conversation.

"What do you want, kid?"

Luckily he was not too thrown off by this and so knew to put up a friendly appearance and repeat that he was just asking. Equally luckily, the barman did not seem to possess much intelligence, and so bought the lies.

"We don't get their sort in here. They ain't wanted" he repeated. "Those ones get picked up by the big guys."

"Big guys?"

In response, the man tilted his head towards two well dressed characters, the ones that seemed eerily sinister.

Atticus nodded and then pretended to sip his drink again. When the man's attention was distracted by the next shock of the duel, he hastily tipped it onto the floor and rested the empty glass on the counter before hurrying back over to Chazz.

The other cocked an eyebrow at him and Atticus shook his head.

"We're not gonna get anywhere sitting in this kind of place if we don't get in with them." To emphasise his meaning, Atticus pointed at the two well dressed men in the corner, both of whom were watching the duel with great interest. "They're the big guys."

"Think Zane had something to do with one of them?"

"Back when he first went all dark, he was in the pro league with a new manager" Atticus began. "He had a top hat, but I don't think I ever saw his face. If he met him in the underground, it's likely he's still here."

"One of those two?"

"I don't know. Don't suppose you remember the guy's name?"

Chazz shook his head. However, he discreetly pulled his mobile phone – high tech, expensive model, only six weeks old – from his pocket and used it to take a picture of the two men. They were shadowed but the image was of reasonably high quality, and with this, the two headed out of the bar, neither one eager, or even willing, to stay until the end of the duel.

They might not have much, but what they did have was the knowledge that if they were going to learn anything from the underground, hear from anyone who had known Zane, they'd first have to identify and locate his former manager, whose name neither could remember.

But hopefully they could find out, once they got this information, such as it was, back to their waiting friends.

Hazeru - As you may have noticed, I'm trying not to move things too fast. What secrets have to be discovered?

Hera - Please R&R.


End file.
